My recently acquired 45 cal Huntsman

[AtlLaw]

I've long been curious about the Huntsman/Sidekick ML's so when one was advertised in the Classified I bought it.

I think the seller said he picked it up on a trade, and he gave a very accurate description of it's condition, including words to the effect that the barrel looked good from what he could see.  So it was kind of a pig in a poke purchase.

I finally got to tear it down this weekend.  The barrel was very sloppy on the action, flopping sideways even with the forend in place.  The barrel bluing was well worn in a few places and all the metal was covered with a very fine coat of rust.  Even the beautiful case colored receiver.     The stock also had large areas of finish wear.  All in all it looked like a well used rifle.  A perfect fixer upper!  I was happy with it.   

Now, not knowing anything about these rifles, I had to do some research.  A fine member here offered me a factory ramrod and gave me invaluable insight on the breaching mechanism.  Thanks PHATINJUN!  So, with his help and after reviewing the stickies I was able to determine I had a "pop out" breach.  So I popped it out!

Naturally I couldn't resist looking down the barrel.    And I tell ya, I got the supprise of my life!     except for a few dead spiders, etc., that barrel was bright and shiny!  It is absolutely perfect!     I don't know how the action can be so loose, the barrel and stock show so much wear and the inside of the barrel and nipple look like new!?     But I don't care, Ima happy boy!   

[whitetailmaniac]

My 58 was sloppy also. It locked up tight on my sb1 so I got a 209 plug from Mr. Hubberd and it works great. It is a push in type also.

     Chris

[AtlLaw]

Hey Chris!
 
I'm not worried about the "sloppy" since I have fit a couple of barrels to actions before and this shouldn't be a problem.  Hi-ebber, and day always be a hi-ebber... I've got another concern.   
 
I went back through previous posts and see there are some reports about the "pop in" breach "popping out" if the action opens up during recoil.  Ol' "Sourdough" even went as far as to say that a rifle with that type of breach wasn't good for anything but a wall hanger.   
 
Do you, or anyone else have any thoughts on that?

[OldSchoolRanger]

I also bought a Huntsman in .45 cal a while ago.  I had problems with the hammer not locking back, and the looseness of the barrel that your talking about.  Mind also didn't come with a ramrod.  It almost seems like they were made like that (without a ramrod).  The problem with the hammer not locking back was corrected when I got all the left over black powder or BP substitute residue completely cleaned off the parts.  I'm still working on the sloppiness of the action.  I'll probably try shooting it first, to see how it shoots before I get crazy about the looseness of the fit.

If your gun locks up now, I personally feel that you shouldn't have a problem with the gun popping open, and having the breech "pop out" when you fired it.  From what I read the problem with the "pop out" breech plug popping out, when firing, usually occurred, when there was a misfire.  Instead of holding the gun pointed in a safe direction, the  person shooting the gun, opened it.  Then when the gun "hangfired" , he was hit with the pop out breech plug, when it popped out. (That was a mouthful  ).

I would check with PHATINJUN, to be safe.  I believe he uses one more often than most of the fellas on this board.

[PHATINJUN]

If there was a chance of the plug popping out when you fire this gun...we would have many reports of cases flying out with all the pop open problems from the centerfires. The plug does not come out from pop opens it flies out if you have a misfire open the breech right away and then have the hangfire go off. One of the commandments of shooting ML's is if you have a misfire you do not open the breech until you have set the gun aside where it is safe wait at least 5 minutes before opening it in a safe manner.
Here are a couple of examples of the plugs one has a white nylon ring and an "O" ring and the other just has the "O" ring. Kurt

[AtlLaw]

Okay, that makes me feel a lot better!   
 
My plug is like the one on the right;, just the "O" ring.

[AtlLaw]

I shimmed the barrel last night; .002 shim and it locks up tighter then a virgin's knees!   
 
Now all I have to do is try it out.  I sure wish it was drilled for a reciever sight though.  The rear iron sight is almost invisable to my old eyes.